I'm back, older and not much wiser...

[Ratmick]

Afternoon all

After an extended outage I'm back.

For all those who remember me he's a brief summation of my life since last logging in (close to ten years ago)?...

Sold my Honda CB900F6
Got divorced.
Repartnered.
Became a grandfather for the first time.
Bought a Yamaha MT07HO.
Went OS on LSL to Europe with aforementioned partner.
Got engaged to aforementioned partner.
Became a grandfather again.
Got made redundant from the NAB in the first round of redundancies.
...managed to keep my job but was 'demoted' to a grade lower on the same pay doing the same job that actually pays more as I now get leave loading.

Mick

[Daisy]

Welcome back. Where's your Kawasaki?

[MadKaw]

Welcome back Mick...

[javaman]

Welcome back ! Should organise a ride soon

[Ratmick]

Thanks all, I'm feeling the love

I don't really have a major excuse not to have a Kawasaki, just lots of smaller ones.

I was after something small, torquey, cheap to run and buy....and not LAMS.

I went to Peter Stevens in Elizabeth Street...three times over three days...as an experiment.

I did not get one single sideways look or interaction with any sales person...mainly as they are up themselves and a bunch of arrogant twats.

Plus at 52yo (back then) 165cm short, boring looking, partially bald, and fat I think I am essentially invisible to anyone that is under the age of 25yo.

As such (and even though I have had three bikes previously from the same shop) Peter Stevens can go screw themselves...

...this wasn't helped by a secondhand guy down in Geelong (also Peter Stevens) blatantly lying to my face.

They are the only Kawasaki dealer within coo-ee of work and the only other real option was Bendigo...and screw that.

Anyway walked next door, bought the pictured ex-demo Yamaha MT-07HO (the 'High Output' MT-07 is actually the normal global version).

Typically I haven't done that many kilometres due to family commitments...

...but I have changed a few things.

Pazzos.
Crash knobs and spools.
Flyscreen.
LED indicators.
Akropovic titanium exhaust.

Here she is brand new (the reflectors were gone 15 minutes later):

[Ratmick]

And for those with a few spare minutes, a brief recap.

My Ex shot through with a new girlfriend ( ) in Q3 2007, leaving me with our three kids, crapload of debt and an unrenovated house.

I met Glen (Glenys) a few weeks later (screw wasting time) and the following May she moved in with her youngest daughter Chloe.

I finally divorced in 2010 after some argy-bargy with solicitors and crap with the kids not accepting Glen and giving her a hard time.

My Ex lived close by and when her step-father died she moved up to NSW with her new-partner (her original girlfriend hanged herself) to look after her mum.

Our middle child Daniel moved up to NSW as well (as I wouldn't let him play video games and nothing else) and lives close by to her. He's now 23yo and about 130kg.

My eldest Matthew got his girlfriend pregnant, they moved in here, then out into a bungalow in the back garden after they had Lily, my grand-daughter...then they moved to Kyneton and then Romsey, where they had Ella last October...he's now 26yo and delivers mail for a living.

My youngest Emma lives at home still, she finished her BSc last year and is now doing Honours. She plans on doing her PhD next year (and the two after that) but will possibly move down to Melbourne at year-end. She's 22yo now and very much like her mother (has some of her bad points too).

Glen's youngest just turned 21yo and FINALLY got her damn fecking car license last week. She is the main reason my weekends were not mine (Emma has been driving for years now) as she works in Kyneton...and we're 11km from town.

So after all these years my weekends are now mine...and Glen's, although she works in the local Aged Care facility every Sunday and every second Saturday...so mainly mine.

Just waiting for Chloe to move out...

[Ratmick]

...please note if anyone that is also on the Facebook KSRC group please don't repeat any of this crap on there.

[Smitty]

hello Mick

thanks for the memory jog (as in... I do know/did see most of all that happening over the years
as I saw posts on Bookface but nice to have one short sharp snapshot in one paragraph)


ps.. I understand about PS, they have to be a serious nomination for the worst customer
service award . Dunno how they are still in business.

[Ratmick]

I use Peter Stevens as somewhere I can try crap on for size and then order it online (except for helmets).

I would rather eat broken glass than get my bike serviced there as they are inept to the point of dangerous.

I emailed them and told them they missed out on selling me my 4th bike and nothing.

Cosways was worse too...

The Bendigo Dealer (Elliott Brothers) is meant to be pretty good but they're a PITA to get to. I very nearly bought a secondhand pre-LAMS ER6N from them.

[mfzx6r]

welcome back mate !!!!